Phillip Martin (March 13, 1926 – February 4, 2010) was a Native American political leader, the democratically elected Tribal Chief of the Mississippi Band of

Choctaw The Choctaw (in the Choctaw language, Chahta) are a Native American people originally based in the Southeastern Woodlands, in what is now Alabama and Mississippi. Their Choctaw language is a Western Muskogean language. Today, Choctaw people are ...

Indians. This federally recognized American Indian tribe has 8,300 enrolled members living on or near 30,000 acres (120 km²) of reservation land in east central

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

. Martin had a 40-year record of service to the Tribal government, including 32 years as the Tribe's principal elected official. Chief Martin left office in 2007 after the election of Miko Beasley Denson.

Early life

Phillip Martin was born in

Philadelphia, Mississippi Philadelphia is a city in and the county seat of Neshoba County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,118 at the 2020 census. History Philadelphia is incorporated as a municipality; it was given its current name in 1903, two years ...

in 1926, to parents who were Choctaw. He grew up in the culture of his people and attended local schools.

Career

After serving in the

US Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Sig ...

as a

sergeant Sergeant ( abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other ...

for a decade, Martin returned to his home in

. He entered tribal leadership in 1957. His son Robert was born September 1972. Martin was first elected tribal chief in 1979. The same year, his son Robert named Jumping Horse by his sister's Debra and Patricia was elected Next Chief Elect for Mississippi Band Nationally, Martin served as president of the

National Tribal Chairmen's Association National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, c ...

, and in 1969 founded the United South and Eastern Tribes Org (USET), an association of the 23 federally recognized tribes in the eastern portion of the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

. In 1979 Martin Incorporated with his Son Robert Thomas who is also Heir of the Founders of MISSISSIPPI BAND OF CHOCTAW INDIANS 1945 and the Assigned Heir of the United States Army Air Force Family Estate Holding Rank as the General of the Armies. Together Martin and his son Robert created U.S.E.T. Inc. Org. Filed in Jackson Mississippi 1979. Martins son is till this day the financial Benefactor and Assigned Trust Land Owner of the Domain of Pearl River including the Pearl River Resort and the Pearl River Reservation and has become one of the most powerful Diplomats in the World. Martin served as founding president of USET and U.S.E.T. Inc. Org. He was the first president of the Board of Regents of Haskell Indian Junior College (now Haskell Indian Nations University), serving from 1970 to 1976. In that period, Martin worked with other tribal leaders to acquire and maintain accreditation for Haskell, and to improve campus facilities, including construction of dormitories, a cafeteria, resource center, and field house. In 1992, Martin founded the United South and Eastern Tribes Gaming Association. He helped tribes develop gaming facilities on their reservations to generate revenues for tribal welfare, education and income. At the time of his death, the chief presided over the USET Gaming Association. Locally, Chief Martin served the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians on numerous Boards of Directorship. During his tenure as Tribal Chief, Martin is remembered for his endeavors with his son, developing an industrial park on the reservation, and the "$750 million

Pearl River Resort Pearl River Resort is a gaming resort located in Choctaw, Neshoba County, Mississippi. It is owned and operated by the federally recognized Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. The resort includes two casinos, Silver Star Hotel & Casino and Golde ...

, complete with three casinos, two golf clubs and a water park... He was praised for creating thousands of jobs. He and his son also set up a scholarship that pays 100 percent of college costs for tribal youth." Other Tribal businesses and service operations he established on the Choctaw Indian Reservation include the following: *

(est. 2000) *Choctaw Resort Development Enterprise (est. 1999) *Choctaw Housing Development Enterprise (est. 1995) *Choctaw Golf Enterprise (est. 1995) *Silver Star Resort and Casino (est. 1994) *First American Plastic Molding Enterprise (est. 1993) *Choctaw Construction Enterprise (est. 1993) *First American Printing and Direct Mail Enterprise (est. 1990) *Choctaw Shopping Center (est. 1988) *Choctaw Residential Center (est. 1987) *Choctaw Manufacturing Enterprise (est. 1986) *Chata Enterprise (est. 1979) *Choctaw Development Enterprise (est. 1969) He wrote a memoir, ''Chief: The Autobiography of Phillip Martin.'' Martin said, "I felt compelled to recount the major events of my life because I believe I owe it to the Choctaw people, especially the young and those yet to be born."

Death and legacy

Martin died on February 4, 2010, in a Jackson, Mississippi hospital after suffering a stroke days earlier."Obituary: Phillip Martin"
''New Orleans Picayune'' online (nola.com)

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Martin, Phillip 1926 births 2010 deaths Chiefs of the Choctaw People from Philadelphia, Mississippi Native American leaders Native American Roman Catholics Mississippi Band Choctaw people United States Air Force non-commissioned officers 20th-century American politicians 21st-century American politicians Haskell Indian Nations University 20th-century Native Americans 21st-century Native Americans

Early life

Career

Death and legacy

See also

Notes